Businesses 'looking for renewable energy'

Businesses 'looking for renewable energy'

Businesses will be willing to pay more for buildings which feature renewable energy, according to a new report.

Almost 90 per cent of respondents to a survey by law firm Taylor Wessing, said that corporate tenants would be willing to pay more to secure a sustainable building.

According to the report, this shows that pressure from the public, corporate social responsibility and the need to a recruit socially conscious workforce is having an impact on driving the sustainability agenda.

The report also claims that the economic downturn could actually act as a spur for sustainability and renewable energy in the building development industry.

Helen Garthwaite, head of construction and engineering at Taylor Wessing, comments: "This report reveals that far from putting the brakes on sustainable building, industry leaders could actually be using the economic downturn as an opportunity to boost their green credentials in preparation for proposed legislative developments in the area.

"More immediately, the realisation is also dawning that decisive action on sustainability may actually stimulate economic activity and job creation, while cost savings can be achieved through less energy consumption and greater waste reduction."

The government has committed to cutting the UK's carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050.

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